Project VHK (Inca Sprint)

[Mad Mart]

Stu, duly noted but I just need to know that the bodywork is ok beneath the paintwork. Just removing the top coat isn't going to reveal any nasties. By stripping to bare metal you know exactly where you stand bodywork wise.

We did a bit more today, stripped the doors, removed the bulkhead pad (in one piece) and removed the control pedals. The interior is now completely stripped apart from the headlining, which will remain in situ and will be given a good clean once the car is back from the sprayers. The engine bay & boot are also clear. Still haven't dropped the gearbox out though but that's only a five minute job as it's only held in by four bolts. I'm hoping the paint stripper will turn up tomorrow.

A few more pics but not much more to see...

[TahitiSPRINT]

All TW vin plated cars had the commission number in the boot gutter. Change over build date was VA finished on 31 August '79, TW started on 01 September '79

If the chassisnumber starts with 113***, then it'll be the second to last Sprint produced

As usual, I will be following this resto with much interest. Do you already have some upgrades in mind?

Good luck with the resto

[Mad Mart]

I keep forgetting to look for the VIN number in the boot gutter. I shall try to remember this evening.

Upgrades It will be getting a set of Spax & springs so it will sit slightly lower than standard. I will probably fit a brass expansion tank instead of the plastic one and it will get an early Sprint nose badge. It may get a Lumenition leccy ignition, depending on funds.

[sprint95m]

It is a recurring theme for me,
I am concerned about the condition of your car's sills.

From the photographs,
it would appear the hole at the back of the offside sill is a result of exterior corrosion and that the NS side is a replacement?
The areas I always check first are the sill ends in the back arches
and the closing sections behind the front arch mudshields.

I take a pessimistic view because things can only be better .

[SprintMWU773V]

I will have a set of Spax and lowered springs available soon! Nothing wrong with either just not shiny new.

[soe8m]

How does he do it. Nothing happened yet and already page 3.

Jeroen

[Mad Mart]

How does he do it. Nothing happened yet and already page 3.

Jeroen

Cheeky bugger!

[MalcGE]

He was adamant that there was no need to get back to bare metal.stu

An experienced body shop guy I knew years ago told me " never take back to bare metal, it will rust like crazy". HOWEVER, in those days we painted in Cellulose 'Berger', and if it wasn't Cellulose it was single pack acrylic "knacker lacquer".

Mart makes the point that you get rust spiders under paint that appears sound.

You are also dealing with original paint and later applications, all of different thickness, age, etc which can't be a good base.

Modern etch primers and two pack paint are far more resilient to the elements.

I guess the real test is how Marts previous resto's have weathered over the years.

[Mad Mart]

Mary & I went to the garage for a bit of stripping today. It's hard work but worth it...






















Found some more holes...

[stevew]

I'm at the same stage - stripping with a hot air gun and a scraper, hard and dirty, but theraputic and has to be done!

[Mad Mart]

Hot air gun & scraper? That is brave. We have 2 gallons of paint stripper to throw on VHK.

Lots more stripping this morning. All panels are now stripped so I now need to go over them with the knotted wire brush & then the DA. A repair panel was found on the lower left wing which had about 2mm. thk. of filler over it. Not sure where to go with that at the mo. I will get Jon the sprayer to come over and assess the car, hopefully in the week.

Work stopped at lunchtime to watch the F1 GP as per normal & couldn't be fussed to go back out afterwards.

[Mad Mart]

Hi Mike, you don't seem to be on here as much these days?

Yes I am looking for fog lights, I just put it further down the priority list.

[SprintMWU773V]

An interesting alternative to the hot air gun would be thermal pyrolysis as a way to basically bake the paint off. I don't like the smell of paint stripper or burning hot air gun paint.

[Mad Mart]

Hi Mart, looks like she was brown before, you hav'nt done a brown one before have you? Still got that nos badge here if you needed it?

Hi Grewham, no it only has one colour on it.

Was the badge a nose badge? I can't remember, but I will need an early nose badge.

[stevew]

I have found a heat gun quite easy, the whole car took 2 days, just the details to clean up now, and it just falls off on to the floor - I'm always worried about leaving paint stripper on.
I've just bought a blasting gun to do the shuts etc, I'll let you know how I go